Any advice on the best setting for a typical espresso? Is it the finest scale?
10941
I don't set it on the finest setting but pretty close to that. For espresso, you want the grind to be fine enough that as the water goes through it extracts the most flavor but not so fine that it becomes mud and the water doesn't go through well. If you have an espresso machine at home, you will want to play with the grind a little. The grounds should be well packed and not have excess moisture in them when the extraction is complete. If there is moisture left in the grounds, you will need to adjust.
10942
Absolutely. Go for as fine a ground as you can get without coffee dust flying out of the machine. A very fine setting and dark-roast beans will get you the strongest flavor -- because the more surface area that touches the water, the stronger the brew. I also use more coffee per cup than most instructions suggest: 1/4 cup of grounds per 8-oz mug of coffee. I prefer medium dark beans and less than espresso strength. You get more coffee flavor from beans that aren't dark roasted, in my opinion and that of many coffee roasters, baristas, buyers and growers. If you like the burnt bitterness of espresso, though, go for it. Absolutely. Go for as fine a ground as you can get without coffee dust flying out of the machine. A very fine setting and dark-roast beans will get you the strongest flavor -- because the more surface area that touches the water, the stronger the brew. I also use more coffee per cup than most instructions suggest: 1/4 cup of grounds per 8-oz mug of coffee. I prefer medium dark beans and less than espresso strength. You get more coffee flavor from beans that aren't dark roasted, in my opinion and that of many coffee roasters, baristas, buyers and growers. If you like the burnt bitterness of... » Read More Absolutely. Go for as fine a ground as you can get without coffee dust flying out of the machine. A very fine setting and dark-roast beans will get you the strongest flavor -- because the more surface area that touches the water, the stronger the brew. I also use more coffee per cup than most instructions suggest: 1/4 cup of grounds per 8-oz mug of coffee. I prefer medium dark beans and less than espresso strength. You get more coffee flavor from beans that aren't dark roasted, in my opinion and that of many coffee roasters, baristas, buyers and growers. If you like the burnt bitterness of espresso, though, go for it. « Show Less
10943
Try the finest setting with a measured dose. Something like 15 grams for a double. If the water has trouble passing through and takes more than 12 or 13 seconds to start dripping out them adjust the grind a little coarser, keeping the dose and the tamping pressure the same. Adjust just the grind until you get your desired time of around 30 seconds or your desired volume.
10944
You want expresso grind to be powder like and feel smooth between your fingers. If your beans are freshly roasted you can try one step less fine because the beans have a little more moisture in them. Really fresh ground beans should brew with some "crema" brown foam on top. That amount of crema is a clue to freshness. Different beans with different roast times also can change the "best" grind setting. Experiment, LOL
1620621
That is a very good way to describe it. In our bedroom it matches well with our espresso set unless in direct sunlight where the red undertones really come out -- it is a great unit though both from a construction standpoint and ease of use.
773074
this is the strongest i can find, and i wouldn't say it comes that close to espresso. Caffeine level is almost there if you make a small cup but for taste you just cant get that without an espresso maker. you can mix this Barista Prima Coffeehouse, Italian Dark Roast, 24- Count K-Cup Portion Count for Keurig Brewers with it... thats almost espresso.
635139
Not really. Espresso grind is as fine as it gets, and even that is a little grainy.
925133
The other two responses you got are correct in the iced coffee, just like iced tea, pour it over Ice. As far as the temp of the coffee, its quite hot out of my machine, others have to cool it off before they drink it. The taste of the coffee if you like a strong coffee flavor, use the Italian Espresso's on 12OZ serving. Perfect cup of coffee. Just follow the strength dots on the box. The box colors for the best coffee, Red, Orange, Yellow. Personal preference of course. Good Luck
1857509
I dont know what "barista-like cup" means. As for the settings for best espresso, I also dont know how to answer that. The flavor and intensity of a coffee is different for each person. All I can tell you is to play around with the grind settings and brew/pre-brew settings until you find what you like. Maybe try different coffee brands. My favorites are Danesi and Lavazza Qualita Rossa.
2045665
I prefer dark italian or espresso beans, so that is what I use. I use the middle grind setting since I've owned the machine, and that has worked well to produce a nice double shot with great crema. Have not needed to adjust water sizes as they are right for me. Also understand that you can always stop water delivery during the process, so if a setting normally produces too much water for someone's tastes, you can always stop it. I prefer this method, since if there are people that want a weaker coffee, and not espresso, then the right amount of water is delivered for them. All in all its been a very reliable machine to date, and gets used very frequently in my house. It's easy to clean and refill water and beans. As for me, espresso is my thing, and there was a keurig in the kitchen for the other "coffee" drinkers. But that was quickly replaced by this system as the beans are fresh ground, easier to use than the others in my opinion, and if the machine holds up, will be cheaper and better than any kcup system. Even though I used to buy my own coffee and refillable kcup pods. But what a pain that was. This jura is well with it for me.
2092915
I would recommend the medium fine for espresso. The fine will turn it to powder. Also works great for herbs.
57066
I played around and decided what they recommended was the best, a medium grind. Espresso tends to pack too much and a course grind does not get a rich full flavor.
537530
Absolutely. That's why I bought the Preciso. So I could go from Espresso to press on the same unit. I now own a Baratza Vario. It has a different burr setup and it's not as good for course grind, but most people wouldn't notice the difference.
2257936
Definitely. I typically use it on the finest setting for my espresso. That's more akin to a Turkish grind than espresso, but it's the kind of coffee powder I prefer.
1790748
I looked back at the picture shown and it isn't quite "that" espresso. It may take on a bit of a cherry tone, but also not true cherry. I hope that makes sense!
766576
I measured the temperature at 160 deg.F. This is the highest brew temp that can be set in the settings. With good quality espresso beans you get about a 1/8 to 1/4 in. of crema for a double shot.
397118
Espresso might be a little darker...I have cappucino and it is dark enogh. That is all I can suggest
739698
Yes -That's what mine sounds like as well...much quieter than a traditional espresso machine... Enjoy!
1666073
Not completely sure. It should mean more pressure, and the only two variables for an espresso machine are pressure and temperature. I gave up on this one. I bought a Nespresso Pixie. It's very good. My sense is that a Nespresso is as good as any machine under about 800 bucks. If you're going to spend less than 800 or 1k, just spend 200/250 on a Nespresso machine. The next leap in quality from a Nespresso will take you to 1k and up for a professional or hand machine. The only drawback to a Nespesso machine is that you can use only Nespresso capsules. You can't use your favorite espresso/bean/grind. I'll ditch my Nespresso when I can spend 1200 to 1500 for a professional machine.
935048
Mine is set at 8 on my Baratza Virtuoso, so out of the 40 adjustments it's quite fine.